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ALL poultry at a commercial premises near Pomeroy are to be culled after a suspected case of bird flu was found at the farm.
Disease control measures have been initiated by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) at the business following the suspected case of notifiable highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland, Brian Dooher, said he has taken the decision based on number of factors including the clinical signs and preliminary results provided by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).
Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir said: “A suspect case of notifiable Avian Influenza was reported on Saturday 01 November and initial results suggest the presence of HPAI.
“The CVO has, therefore, taken the decision, as a precautionary measure, to apply appropriate disease control measures, including the humane culling of all poultry on the site and the introduction of Temporary Control Zones (TCZ) to mitigate for onward disease spread.
“I call on all bird owners – from backyard hobbyists to commercial flock keepers with thousands of birds – to adhere to all biosecurity measures to protect their flocks.”
Mr Dooher added: “The disease control measures are crucial to limit any potential spread of disease and I must stress the utmost importance of ensuring continuous excellent levels of biosecurity and reporting any suspect cases of avian flu to DAERA immediately.”
About 20,000 chickens were culled last month after a suspected case of bird flu was found at a farm near Omagh.
